On October 12, Shane Liesegang, SJ, a member of the Jesuits West Province, was ordained to the diaconate at the Church of the Gesù on the campus of Ateneo de Manila University in Manila. Deacon Liesegang, who is spending one year of his theology studies in the Philippines focusing on migration and the pastoral care of migrants, was one of 11 Jesuits ordained that day.
According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, “Deacons proclaim the Gospel, preach and teach in the name of the Church. As ministers of Sacrament, deacons baptize, lead the faithful in prayer, witness marriages, and conduct wake and funeral services. As ministers of Charity, deacons are leaders in identifying the needs of others, then marshaling the Church’s resources to meet those needs.”
Bishop Honesto Ongtioco, D.D., of the Diocese of Cubao, who ordained the deacons, said, “When someone is deeply touched by God’s love, he cannot help but reciprocate and say, ‘Yes, Lord, I want to follow.’ For some, the seed of vocation was there but it had to be nurtured through the years before they realized that the hand of God was there all the while. … Their decision was based more on a deeper hunger and thirst for God’s quest for meaning in life, desiring to do something that would change people’s lives, situations of injustice and oppression. It was a beautiful realization. This is grace. It is God who is at work within.”
After graduating from the University of Virginia, Deacon Liesegang earned a master’s degree in entertainment technology from Carnegie Mellon University. He then worked for several years as a video game designer before becoming a Jesuit in 2015. After serving as a novice for two years, he earned two master’s degrees at Fordham University—one in philosophical resources and a second master’s in international political economy and development. For the next two years, Deacon Liesegang served with the Jesuit Refugee Service in Beirut, Lebanon. In July 2022, he was missioned to the Boston College Clough School of Theology and Ministry for theology studies.
